Trump: I don’t know if ‘mother of all bombs’ sends message to North Korea

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he does not know whether the U.S. military's use of the so-called “mother of all bombs” in Afghanistan will send a message to North Korea, but he said “the problem” with that country “will be taken care of,” regardless.

“I don't know if this sends a message,” Trump told reporters in the White House. “It doesn't make any difference if it does or not. North Korea is a problem. The problem will be taken care of.”

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He added: “I will say, I think China has really been working very hard. I have really gotten to like and respect, as you know, President Xi. He's a terrific person. We spent a lot of time together in Florida. And he's a very special man. So we'll see how it goes. I think he's going to try very hard.”

Trump called the use of the bomb, the largest non-nuclear bomb used in combat, against the Islamic State “another successful job” on the part of the military.

Trump did not clearly say whether he had personally authorized the use of the bomb, instead saying broadly in response to a reporter's question that “what I do is I authorize my military.”